Plastic concrete delivery vehicle



March 17, 1936. PERRY 1 PLASTIC CONCRETE DELIVERY VEHICLE Filed March51, 1951- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .INV'ENTOR lgegaA. Per/1y ATTORNEY March 17,1936. L. A. PERRY PLASTIC CONCRETE DELIVERY VEHICLE Filed March 51, 19312 Sheets-Sheet 2 L INVENTOR Lewis A. Perry BY 9% ATTORNEY Patented Mar.17, I936 ETED T GFFIE PLASTIC CONCRETE DELIVERY VEHICLE ApplicationMarch 31, 1931, Serial No. 526,636

13 Claims.

This invention relates to plastic concrete delivery vehicles and moreespecially to novel cage devices operative therein for agitating thecontained concrete in transit or at rest to maintain the masshomogeneous and in a state ready to be employed in construction work.

The object, generally stated, is the provision of a most advantageousbody configuration adapted to cooperate with more eflicient, serviceableand inexpensive agitation devices than heretofore devised to thispurpose.

A more particular object is the provision of agitation devices sodesigned and assembled with the conveying body as to allow ofconvertibility of the latter to such other analogous or suitable work asmight be desired.

A still further object lies in the provision of an agitating arrangementrequiring extremely little power to operate the same and so arranged 2with respect to the body as to negative possibility of destruction fromstones or the like encountered in the concrete mass.

Still further and more particular objects and advantages, together withthe foregoing, will become apparent throughout the course of thefollowing description and claims, the invention consisting in the novelconstruction, adaptation and combination of parts hereinafter describedand claimed.

30 In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation to the rear portion of a wheeled vehicle,illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention appliedthereto.

35 Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section taken through theconcrete conveying body and the agitating cage therein.

40 Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail longitudinal vertical sectionrepresenting portions of the drive assembly shown in the precedingviews.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail transverse vertical section to the same,and illustrating the activity 45 of the agitating blades to the vehiclebody; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail plan of a preferred character of drivesprocket supported by the vehicle body.

While innumerable types of bodies adapted to 50 the conveyance ofpre-mixed concrete have been heretofore developed, some of which utilizea rotatable shaft having radial blades supported thereby, the shaftjournaled through bearings supported in the oppositional end-walls ofthe body, and others of which utilize cylinder tanks,

the same being revolved or afforded rocker activity in an attemptteprevent adherance of the plastic mass to the walls of the same, theprimary objection is the restriction of the bodies and necessarily thetruck therefor to its single use. 5 Revoluble stirring mechanisminteriorly of the body utilizing bearing-supported shafts are furtherobjectionable in the inability to maintain adequate bearings overextended periods of use in view of the abrasive characteristics of theplas- '10 tic concrete.

The present invention advantageously overcomes the foregoingobjectionable structure in the provision, within a body of the generallytermed bath-tub configuration, of a full-float- 15 in cage providingblades adapted to a shearing activity to the tank sides withoutotherwise disturbing the concrete mass, the cage being rotatable throughthe medium of a chain engaging about the periphery and, with associatedmechanism, designed for ready removal in accommodating conversion of thebody proper to other forms of transit work such as sand, gravel and thelike, as might be desired.

Reference being had to the drawings, the numeral It represents the sidebars of a motor truck chassis, traction wheels of the running geartherefor being indicated at H. Provided upon said chassis throughcompanion plates such as l2, said plates supporting trunnion bolts I3 Iadapted to pivotally engage a reinforcement frame I5, is an open-topbody, said body having a preferable transverse sectional contour of asemi-circular configuration, the side walls flaring outwardly atrespective upper terminals at lines tangentially of the periphery. l6represents an elevated platform at the forward end of said body forsupporting a suitable power plant such as an internal-combustion engineI! or the like.

For purposes of illustration only, the disclosure further represents aplunger-receiving oil receptacle I8 adapted to elevate the forward endof the body to permit dumping operations through a door, such as H! forexample, closable to the lower portion of the rear wall of the body. Theforegoing is or may be of suitable or well-known construction.

Reverting more particularly to structure peculiar to the presentinvention, I provide a cage, generally designated as 25 and representedas composed of conjugate sections each supporting longitudinallydisposed circumferentially-spaced blades 26 disposed at inclinationsfrom lines taken radially of the same, said blades secured 2 I g Nthrough the medium of riveting, welding or the like, to terminalhorizontally-spaced hoop members 21, 28, the latter integrally joined,one with the other to an annular sprocket member 29.

Said sprocket member is preferably of a channel configuration havinglugs 39 arranged in upstanding relationship from the gutter baseprovided between oppositionally biased walls 3|. Peripherally-disposedslits 32 between successive lugs renders the sprocket memberself-cleaning. 33 represent diagonal brace rods. The aforedescribed cageformation affords an uninterrupted centrical opening co-extensive of thecage length.

Passing about said sprocket member 29 and a load sheave 35, the lattersuitably driven by a drive shaft 34 journaled in bearings 36 mounted ona re-inforcement channel 20 of the body, the invention further providesa chain 31 serving to revolve the cage 25, a tension rider 38 beingarranged for straddling engagement over said chain to retain the sametaut and also acting to yieldably depress the cage in'the body. Saidrider is suitably journaled between the bifurcate arms 40 of a pressurebar 4| having one terminal 42 fulcrumed about shaft 34 and theoppositional terminal 44 yieldably connected with the body through aspring 43 arranged for engagement over a supported hook 45. The powersheave is maintained free of concrete deposits by a staggereddisposition of each of its gripping lugs 45 to engage alternate chainlinks.

A transmission of the rotatory activity from the power plant I? througha train of intermeshing worm gearing 41 to the shaft 34 accommodatessuitable speed reduction.

In operation, the body with the agitation devices therein receives thecharge of plastic concrete, the cage being revolubly energizedco-incident with the delivery of the charge to the same or energizedsubsequent thereto as desired. In the activity of the cage, the bladesare yieldably maintained by the rider 38 to contact the same with thebody sides, said blades afforded a shearing or scraping action to theinner wet perimeter of the body to prevent settling of the plasticconcrete ingredients, said blades acting to individually convey eachgiven mass encountered upwardly to discharge adjacent the surface of thematerial. More particularly, the cage is so designed as to disturb theplastic concrete-cement, aggregate and wateradjacent its outer edgesonly to prevent the normal settling of the same at such points with theingredients separating into strata of different specific gravities, asinvariably occurs where concrete is transported in ordinary vehicles andnot infrequently where a stirring of the mass is more predominant aboutits center as in agitating devices utilizing axially-driven radiallydisposed blades.

Rider 38 accommodates elevational movement of the cage responsive tocontact of a blade 26 with obstructions such as stones, or the like,present in the plastic mass, the blade subsequently yieldably depressedresponsive to passage of the same over the obstruction.

Unhooking spring 43 of the rider 38 with a removal of the boltsattaching bearings 36 to the body, allows of the removal of the cagesimultaneously with drive shaft 34 and the worm supported thereby toprovide a conventional open-top transit body.

The intention of the disclosure with the foregoing related descriptionis for purposes of illustration only, numerous structural changes asmight be desired being considered obvious. I accordingly confine myselfonly as limited by the hereto annexed claims.

What I claim, is,-

l. The combination with the chassis of a wheeled vehicle, of an open-topbody of a general semi-circular cross sectional configuration pivotallyconnected to an end of the chassis, a door closure at the rear end ofsaid body for dumping the same, a material-agitating cage floatativelymounted in said body, said cage comprising two integrally connectedsections, each having shearing blades secured at inclinations from linesradially of the cage arranged in spaced circumferential dispositions, asprocket wheel integrally supported by said cage medially between saidsections, said sprocket wheel having a radius approximating an are takenabout the shearing periphery of said blades, brace rods for reinforcingsaid blades, and means to revolve said cage, said means comprising achain passing about said cage sprocket wheel and a drive sheave, a driveshaft for said sheave, bearings for said shaft, a power plant, and wormreduction gearing between said power plant and the shaft.

2. In apparatus as defined in claim 1, a bifurcate arm having one endfulcrumed for pivotal movement about said drive shaft, a rider journaledbetween said bifurcations, said rider engageable over said chain fordepressing the cage, and a spring yieldably connecting the free end ofsaid arm to the vehicle body.

3. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, an open-top material-receivingpivoted body therefor having a door closure in its outer end, saidvehicle providing means for elevating the inner end of a said body aboutits pivot for dumping the same, a material-agitating cage adapted forremovable insertion in said body, said cage having blades arranged forshearing activity to the body sides integrally supported in spaceddispositions about said cage circumference, said blades being arrangedat inclinations to lines taken radially of the cage, a sprocket wheelintegrally supported by said cage medially of its length, a drive sheavesupported by the vehicle body, a chain passing about said sheave and thesprocket wheel, a spring-pressed rider for said chain for maintainingtension to the same, said rider also serving to yieldably depress saidcage in the body, and means to drive said sheave.

4. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, an open-top material-receivingpivoted body therefor having a door closure in its outer end, saidvehicle providing means for elevating the inner end of said body aboutits pivot for dumping the same, a material-agitating cage adapted forremovable insertion in said body, said cage having blades arranged forshearing activity to the body sides integrally supported in spaceddispositions about said cage circumference, a sprocket wheel integrallysupported by said cage medially of its length, a drive sheave supportedby the vehicle body, a chain passing about said sheave and the sprocketwheel, a spring-pressed rider for said chain for maintaining tension tothe same, said rider also serving to yieldably depress said cage in thebody, and means to drive said sheave.

5. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, an open-top material-receivingbody therefor of a general bath-tub configuration, a door closure at therear end of said body for dumping the material contents, and meansoperative in said body for agitating the contents, said means comprisinga cage having longitudinally disposed blades secured thereto in spaceddisposition of its circumference, said blades being disposed atinclinations from lines radially of the cage, springpressed means foryieldably depressing said cage in the body to normally contact theblades for shearing engagement against the bottom and lower side wallsof the body, and means for revolving said cage.

6. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, an open-top material-receivingbody therefor of a general bath-tub configuration, a door closure at therear end of said body for dumping the material contents, and meansoperative in said body for agitating the contents, said means comprisinga cage having longitudinally disposed blades secured thereto in spaceddisposition of its circumference, spring-pressed means for yieldablydepressing said cage in the body to normally contact the blades forshearing engagement against the bottom and lower side walls of the body,and means for revolving said cage.

7. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, an open-top material-receivingbody therefor of a general bath-tub configuration, and means operativein said body for agitating the contents, said means comprising avertically-removable cage, blades secured about the same spring-pressedmeans operating in conjunction with the weight of the cage formaintaining the blades in contact with the bottom wall of the body inaffording normal shearing engagement of the blades over said wall, saidmeans allowing elevation of the cage for clearing stones or the like inthe material being agitated, and means for revolving said cage.

8. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, an open-top material-receivingbody therefor of a general bath-tub configuration, and means operativein said body for agitating the contents, said means comprising a.vertically-removable cage, blades secured about the same means operatingin conjunction with the weight of the cage for maintaining the blades incontact with the bottom wall of the body in afiording normal shearingengagement of the blades over said wall, said means allowing elevationof the cage for clearing stones or the like in the material beingagitated, and means for revolving said cage.

9. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, a material-receiving body, acage operative therein providing agitating blades supported in spacedcircumferential dispositions of the cage periphery, said blades adaptedfor shearing activity to the body sides, circumferentially-spaced teethabout the periphery of said cage, and means engaging said teeth forrevolving said cage.

10. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, a material-receiving body, arotary cage operative therein, blades arranged for shearing activity tothe body sides integrally supported in circumferentially-spaceddispositions about the periphery of said cage, a sprocket wheel integralwith said blades providing teeth arranged in spaced circumferentialdispositions of the cage periphery, and a chain engageable over saidsprocket wheel for revolving said blades.

11. In a wheeled vehicle, in combination, a material-receiving body, acage therein providing agitating devices, a sprocket wheel formed as anintegral part of said cage, and a chain operative with said sprocketwheel for revolving said agitating devices.

12. In devices adapted for insertion within a material-containing bodyfor agitating the material therein, a circular cage havinglongitudinally disposed blades arranged in spaced-apart dispositionscircumferentially about the same, a sprocket Wheel rigid with saidblades and adapted to receive a power-driven chain for revolving saidcage, and a spring-pressed sheave arranged for riding engagement oversaid chain, said rider adapted to yieldably depress the cage in thebody.

13. The combination in plastic concrete agitating devices, agitatingstructure of a relative cylindrical form having blades extending fromthe outer periphery of the same, a sprocket wheel formed as an integralpart of said agitating structure, the edge of said blades extendingradially outwardly in excess of the peripheral limits of the sprocketteeth, a drive shaft and a power sheave on said drive shaft, and a chainpassing about said sheave and the sprocket wheel for revolving saidblades.

LEWIS A. PERRY.

